To My Dearest Family

To My Dearest Family

Some things I'd like to say,but first of all to let you knowthat I arrived okayI'm writing this from Heavenwhere I dwell with God abovewhere there's no more tearsor sadness thereis just eternal lovePlease do not be unhappyjust because I'm out of sightremember that I'm with youevery morning, noon and nightThat day I had to leave youwhen my life on Earth was throughGod picked me up and hugged meand He said I welcome youIt's good to have you back againyou were missed while you were goneas for your dearest familythey'll be here later onI need you here so badlyas part of My big planthere's so much that we have to doto help our mortal manThen God gave me a list of thingsHe wished for me to doand foremost on that list of mineis to watch and care for youAnd I will be beside youevery day and week and yearand when you're sadI'm standing thereto wipe away the tearAnd when you lie in bed at nightthe days chores put to flightGod and I are closest to youin the middle of the nightWhen you think of my life on Earthand all those loving yearsbecause you're only humanthey are bound to bring you tearsBut do not be afraid to cryit does relieve the painremember there would be no flowersunless there was some rainI wish that I could tell youof all that God has plannedbut if I were to tell youyou wouldn't understandBut one thing is for certainthough my life on Earth is o'reI am closer to you nowthan I ever was beforeAnd to my very many friendstrust God knows what is bestI'm still not far away from youI'm just beyond the crestThere are rocky roads ahead of youand many hills to climbbut together we can do ittaking one day at a timeIt was always my philosophyand I'd like it for you toothat as you give unto the Worldso the World will give to youIf you can help somebodywho is in sorrow or in painthen you can say to God at nightmy day was not in vainAnd now I am contentedthat my life it was worthwhileknowing as I passed along the wayI made somebody smileSo if you meet somebodywho is down and feeling lowjust lend a hand to pick him upas on your way you goWhen you are walkingdown the streetand you've got me on your mindI'm walking in your footstepsonly half a step behindAnd when you feel the gentle breezeor the wind upon your facethat's me giving you a great big hugor just a soft embraceAnd when it's time for you to gofrom that body to be freeremember you're not goingyou are coming here to meAnd I will always love youfrom that land way up aboveWill be in touch again soonP.S. God sends His Love

Tributes

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<p align="center">THE MARCH OF THE DEAD</p>
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<p align="center">About the black and marble wall<br />
they mustered in one last roll call,<u><br />
</u>and as each name was nobly read<br />
in voice heard only by the dead,<br />
each one in proud response confirmed<br />
that they were there in honor earned,<br />
yet still prepared to fill such task<br />
as comrades might of each one ask.</p>
<p align="center">But, could the living dare implore<br />
those sacred dead to serve once more?<br />
To form again and march in ranks<br />
in place of those who heard no thanks,<br />
who fought the war, who stood in place,<br />
yet on return met but disgrace,<br />
who heard each curse, who took the blame<br />
for those who caused a nations shame.</p>
<p align="center">Was it not right for those who served<br />
to seek respect as each deserved?<br />
Yet such respect could but befall<br />
from those whose names engraved the wall.<br />
So each agreed to honor yield<br />
to those who lived with wounds unhealed,<br />
to march for each, to ease the pain,<br />
for each a hero's tribute gain.</p>
<p align="center">Then with the call...&quot;Form for review!&quot;<br />
Each from the wall their name withdrew<br />
to leave it somber, lonely, bare,<br />
protected still by God's own care,<br />
The parade was formed, the march course set,<br />
now all the fallen once more met,<br />
in proud reunion, to march with pride<br />
in silent, metered, saintly stride.<br />
Those souls, from human bond set free<br />
moved with immortal dignity<br />
as shadows O'er each throng filled street<br />
paced by a drummer's solemn beat,<br />
but mortal eyes could not behold<br />
those marching, as marched saints of old,<br />
and only could those with due's paid<br />
bear witness to this last parade.</p>
<p align="center">In admiration heroes rose,<br />
from battles past, against old foe's,<br />
from Valley Forge and Bunker Hill,<br />
Gettysburg, and Chancellorsville.<br />
Washington, Jackson, Grant, and Lee<br />
reviewed the march with solemnity.<br />
and those who held the Alamo<br />
joined men who bled in white French snow,<br />
at Soissons, Marne, and Belleau Wood.<br />
Thus Crockett and Pershing together stood.<br />
.....And the parade passed on.</p>
<p align="center">Pearl Harbor's heroes to a man<br />
rose with all those who fought Japan<br />
at Guadacanal, Siapan, the Philippines<br />
with MacArthur and the brave marines<br />
who raised the flag on Iwo's sand<br />
to mark the corps determined stand.<br />
Wainwright was joined by hundreds more<br />
forced from Bataan, Corregidor,<br />
to march ignoble, fraught with pain<br />
to die when strength dared not remain.<br />
.....And the dead marched on.</p>
<p align="center">Now Eisenhower with a soldier's pride<br />
viewed the parade, while at his side<br />
stood Patton and the valiant score<br />
who were flung upon a Norman's shore.<br />
As a nation prayed these hero's fought<br />
with inspiration each soul wrought.<br />
They faced the Bulge, they crossed the Rhine<br />
to form one final battle line,<br />
then drove to meet a victor's fate<br />
in the shadows of the Brandenberg Gate.<br />
.....And the ranks marched on.</p>
<p align="center">Brothers of &quot;The Forgotten War&quot;<br />
who remembered Inchon, The Reservoir<br />
where as the heat of battle rose<br />
on this cold front they fought, they froze,<br />
not asking what be freedoms price<br />
or who should make the sacrifice.<br />
They held at Seoul, with faith drove on<br />
to hold the line at Panmunjon.<br />
All stood in tribute, to the man,<br />
for each could truly understand<br />
for they that marched, marched for them too<br />
to help restore past honors due.<br />
.....And the parade moved on.</p>
<p align="center">And in the distance massed a crowd,<br />
shadowed by a sinful shroud,<br />
to hide those privileged from the war<br />
who burrowed deep on foreign shore,<br />
they dared crawl out, and returned<br />
to savor life and rights unearned.<br />
And with them sharing equal blame<br />
were those who claimed to share no blame,<br />
whose protests turned our nations flag<br />
into a jumbled, burning rag,<br />
who scorned and mocked those with the right<br />
to serve their land, to join the fight.<br />
Each found deferment from the call<br />
in an ivy covered campus hall.</p>
<p align="center">And those possessed of greatest hate<br />
went to Hanoi, the Kremlin Gate<br />
to denounce our land with ignominy,<br />
and with treason aid the enemy.<br />
They dared not now to look and face<br />
the marching lines, to know disgrace<br />
the presence noble men provoke<br />
to those who dare not take the yoke.<br />
The marching ranks looked but ahead,<br />
each step in cadence of the dead,<br />
but every soul one thought did share:<br />
Blest I am here..not with them there.<br />
.....and the dead marched on</p>
<p align="center">Across the bridge to Arlington<br />
the line moved on and stood as one<br />
in homage at the sacred flame<br />
that honors heroes without name.<br />
Now each who marched a new name read<br />
in voices echoed by the dead<br />
to call here present souls alive,<br />
of men who fought and yet survived<br />
who still bore scars in flesh and mind<br />
whose hearts sought but true peace to find.<br />
Here each soul learned as the flame grew,<br />
it burned to honor those men too.<br />
Could not this privilege be proscribed<br />
by comrades that had fought and died?<br />
Could not immortal men proclaim<br />
the honors those deprived may claim?<br />
Yes, those unnamed now join to share<br />
with those who marched one final prayer:<br />
In brotherhood we all are one,<br />
Eternal Lord, thy will be done.</p>
<p style="text-align: center">The task complete, a bugler played<br />
the funeral notes to end parade,<br />
and each who marched now left the ranks<br />
to cross old proud Potomac's banks<br />
as on the wall in death endeared,<br />
the names of each, once more appeared<br />
that living comrades joined in prayer,<br />
might know the honors heroes share.<br />
&nbsp;</p>
<p align="left"><strong><br />
By: Col. Ed Danowitz, USMC (ret)<br />
Director of The Combined Action Program<br />
For: All who served in Vietnam</strong><strong><br />
</strong></p>
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